President Barack Obama has officially nominated Julius Genachowski as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), according to statements released from the White House.

Genachowski, who must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, was widely expected to be offered the position regulating the industry. He was a top aide to the FCC chairman under Democratic president Bill Clinton, a classmate of Obama's from Harvard Law School and has been advising Obama on telecoms policy.